John dawson



(No Model.)

J DAWSON Woon BENDING MACHINE.

Patented Oct. 9

AHORA/frs.

UNITED STATES `PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN DAWSON, OF BROOKLYN, AssIcNoE To J. w. MAsONa OO., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

WOOD-BEN DING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 527,325, dated October 9, 1894. Application filed April 4, 1894. Serial No. 506.329. `(No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN DAWSON, of the city of Brooklymin the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in 'Wood-Bend-` ing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The machine is designed more particularly for bending chair backs, and has for its object to enable the same to be given the desired bend in a fraction of the time now required.

The object further is to provide a bending` machine of simple construction, in which a large number of the backs may be simultaneously undergoing the bending treatment, and to minimize the labor involved, thereby greatly promoting economy in the work` of bending articles of the character indicated.

To this end the invention consists in amachine having the novel features hereinafter particularly described, and defined in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. y

Figure l is an end elevation of a bending machine constructed in accordance with my invention, part 'of the frame work being `in section. Fig. 2 is a broken front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 shows a detail in plan view, part of the frame being in section; and Fig. l is a detail in sectional side elevation, to be hereinafter referred to.

In constructing a` machine in accordance with my invention,a cylindrical steam box A is provided and mounted to be rotated in a vertical plane as shown, in a suitable frame work B, and having hollow journals for the entrance and escape of steam for heating the cylinder to the required degree, a steam gage C preferably being arranged in connection with the steam pipe as shown. y

The peripheral face of the cylinderA is divided into a series of curved seatsD which range longitudinally of the cylinder, and the surfaces of the seats are tangential to the curvature ot' the cylinder, whereby the inner end of each is below the outer end of the next rearward seat, which arrangement best accommodates the securing devices and the latches for the clamps hereinafter described. Thus in practice each seat D accommodates a dozen or more of the chair backs or articles to be treated, and ordinarily six ot such seats are provided on the cylinder, and each is provided with its full complement of clamps and their latches as follows: A bar b is securedl along ,the inner end of the seat, and 6o ranges longitudinally of the cylinder, and to such bar the necessary complement of clamps E for the seat is secured for clamping the chair backs F, or other material, to the'curved seats (one being shown in Fig. l), 65 the connection of the clamps ordinarily being` effected by individual pieces b of bar iron, which are bolted to the barb. This arrangement enables either one clamp of a series to be removed in repairing or renewing the 7o same, by removing its securing piece b', or

the series of clamps to be removed by remov ing the bar b.

Each clamp E consists of `a spring metal plate secured by its inner end as just described and having at its free enda preferably cast metal head c, which has a depending iiange e that forms a shoulder at three sides at the under side of the clamp as will best be understood from Fig. 4. The secur- 8o' ing bar b of each series of clamps is raised by a series of small liners b2, and beneath such bars the angular ends g of the spring latches G are secured,^two of such latches being provided for each clamp E, and adapted to engage by its hooked outer endg', with the head e of the next rearward clamp. For

`the convenient turning of the cylinder, a se- 4,ries ofspaced, radiating handles H is provided at each side of the cylinder, and suit- 9o able spring catches I, on the uprights B of the frame B, retain the cylinder in a given` position by4 engaging notches a formed therein. Above the cylinder on a tracktwhich runs 9` 5 lengthwise of the cylinder, a carriage I is adapted to travel, and to the under side of the carriage a lever K is fulcrumed, as at k, the carriage serving to shift the lever to bring it above any particular clamp E. The lever roo has a normally horizontal member K on which is a counterbalance weight 7a2, the remainder of the lever extending upwardly at an angle, and forming ahandle,and adjacent to the fulcrum of the lever a depending bar K is pivoted, the lower free end of the bar having a head los which is adapted to engage the head e of any particular clamp E, the head k3 preferably havinga rounded nose orlower end 7a4 as best seen in Fig. 1i, and each head e having a corresponding recess e2, on its upper side. To the head lea yoke Lis pivoted and one end of the same is formed into a handle l whereby the yoke may be rocked, while the opposite end of the yoke is formed with forwardly projecting arms Z having `beveled under sides which are adapted to contact with the beveled upper ends g of the latches G.

In practice, with the machine constructed as described, one chairback F(Fig.1) or like article is accommodated between each clamp E and the tangential seat in connection with which the clamp is arranged. Normally the clamp will spring away from the seat as shown at the right of Fig. 1, and when in vthis posi-` tion a chair back may be conveniently placed beneath thev clamp, the depending flange e serving as a gage or stop to dictate the proper position. A chair back having been placed above the clamp, the attendant by pulling downward on the lever, presses the depending bar K against theclamp and forces the chair back F against the curved seat D, as shown at the left of Fig. l, and at the same .time the head e of the clamp will be engaged by its spring latches G, thus clamping the chair back to its seat. To release the clamp the lever is brought down vtill its depending bar K bears on the head e of the clamp to be released, and the yoke L is rocked forwardlyv to disen gage the latches G, and in this way the clamp E will be prevented from springing open with a sudden movement when the latches are released. It will thus be seen, that the insertion and removal of the chair backs is accomplished with convenience and dispatch and with the expenditure of a minimum force.

With the improved machine, articles that formerly required twenty-four hours to assume the bent form desired, may be finished in one hour, and as a large number are treated simultaneously, a marked saving results.

VHaving thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a bending machine, the combination with a rotary hollow box adapted to receive steam or other heating agent and provided with curved seats on its periphery to receive the material to be bent, of clamping plates having one end secured to the box at one end of the seats, and latches secured to the box at the other end of the seats for engaging the free ends of the clamping plates to lock the material in the said seats, substantially as described.

2. In a bending machine, the combination of a cylindrical hollow box mounted to rotate and provided with a series of seats which are tangential to the .curvature of the box, clamping plates or bars having one end secured to the said box and projecting over the seats thereof, and latches carried by the box and engaging the free ends of the plates or bars to lock the material to be bent in the said seats, substantially as described.

In a bending machine, the combination with a cylindrical hollow box mounted to rotate and/provided with a series of tangential and longitudinally ranging seats to receive the material to be bent, of a series of spring plates for each seat, each plate having one end secured to the box and provided with a flanged head at its free end, and spring latches having hooked ends, said latches being secured to the box and engaging the heads of the said plates, to lock the material to be bent in the said seats. beneath the clamp, and the lever K brought 4. In a bending machine, the combination with a rotary box provided with seats, of clamping plates or bars having one end secured to the box, latches carried by the box and engaging the free ends of the said plates or bars, and a lever mechanism for engaging f the locking plates or bars and the latches, subi stantially as and for the purpose set forth.

. 5. The combination in abending machine, with a box adapted to be rotated and to receive steam or other heating agent, and having a series of seats therearound, of a series of clamps for each seat, and a carriage above the v box adapted to travel longitudinally thereof and provided with lever devices adapted to be moved against said clamps, substantially as described.

6. In a bending machine the herein described devices for closing and releasing the clamps, consisting of a carriage, a lever thereon, and a rocking yoke supported from the lever, substantially as described.

7. In a bending machine, the herein described devices for closing and releasing the clamps, consisting of a carriage, a lever thereon, a depending bar pivotally suspended from the lever, and a rocking yoke pivoted to the depending bar near its free end, substantially as described.

vJOHN DAWSON.

Witnesses:

J. L. MGAULIFFE, C. SEDGWICK.

IOC

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